It is known in the art to couple a clutch to a flywheel of an engine in order to provide the engagement and disengagement means to drive the wheels of a vehicle. The location of such a clutch is not always practical and is often difficult to access for maintenance purposes. Often, if the clutch requires replacement, the complete powertrain must be lowered in order to gain access.
In addition, such vehicles often require brake mechanisms located at the wheel. Such mechanisms include the use of a non-rotating brake pad and a rotating rotor or drum. The rotor of the brake mechanism and the driven portion of the clutch both rotate with movement of the vehicle wheel. These driven portions may amount to a redundancy in parts and an unnecessary expense in manufacturing.
It would be desirable to simplify the maintenance procedure of the clutch mechanism. It would further be desirable to design a singular driven portion capable of performing the multiple function of braking and engaging a clutch, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and weight of the vehicle.